Adaptive Index Mapping for Modulation Scheme Settings

1. A method, comprising: a node of a cellular network receiving a preamble from a device over a Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH), wherein the preamble includes an indication of a device category of the device, allowing for identifying whether the device corresponds to a machine-type communication category; the node selecting between a first modulation scheme setting and a second modulation scheme setting for a radio link to the device based on whether the device category corresponds to the machine-type communication category, the first modulation scheme setting and the second modulation scheme setting each being selected from a set of modulation scheme settings, each identified by at least one corresponding index, wherein a table mapping values of a MCS index to values of a modulation order is used to identify the modulation order and transport block size to be applied on the radio link, and selection of the MCS index depends on a channel quality of a channel between the device and the node; on the basis of said selecting, adapting a mapping of each of the indices to a corresponding set of link parameters, the node identifying a first set of link parameters mapped to the index corresponding to the selected first modulation scheme setting or identifying a second set of link parameters mapped to the index corresponding to the selected second modulation scheme setting; and the node configuring the radio link according to the identified second set of link parameters, wherein the second modulation scheme setting is based on π/2Binary Phase Shift Keying.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first modulation scheme setting is based on Quadrature Phase Shift Keying.

3. The method according to claim 1 , comprising: the node indicating to a second device that the adapted mapping is applied on a second radio link.

4. The method according to claim 1 , comprising: the node performing an analysis of parameters related to radio communication between the device and the cellular network; and on the basis of the analysis, the node selecting the second modulation scheme setting.

5. The method according to claim 1 , comprising: the node selecting the second modulation scheme setting at establishment of the radio link.

6. A method, comprising: a device transmitting a preamble to a node of a cellular network over a Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH), wherein the preamble includes an indication of a device category of the device, allowing for identifying whether the device corresponds to a machine-type communication category; the device selecting between a first modulation scheme setting and a second modulation scheme setting for a radio link to the cellular network in accordance with the device category, the first modulation scheme setting and the second modulation scheme setting being selected from a set of modulation scheme settings, each identified by a corresponding index, wherein a table mapping values of a MCS index to values of a modulation order is used to identify the modulation order and transport block size to be applied on the radio link, and selection of the MCS index depends on a channel quality of a channel between the device and the node; on the basis of said selecting, adapting a mapping of each of the indices to a corresponding set of link parameters, on the basis of the adapted mapping, the device identifying a first set of link parameters mapped to the index corresponding to the selected first modulation scheme setting or identifying a second set of link parameters mapped to the index corresponding to the selected second modulation scheme setting; the device configuring the radio link according to the identified second set of link parameters, wherein the second modulation scheme setting is based on π/2Binary Phase Shift Keying.

7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the first set of modulation scheme settings is based on Quadrature Phase Shift Keying.

8. The method according to claim 6 , comprising: the device selecting the second modulation scheme setting in response to an indication from the cellular network.

9. The method according to claim 7 , comprising: the device selecting the second modulation scheme setting at establishment of the radio link.

10. A method, comprising: receiving at a node, from a device a preamble over a Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH), wherein the preamble includes an indication of a device category of the device, allowing for identifying whether the device corresponds to a machine-type communication category; selecting a first modulation scheme setting for a radio link to the device based on the device category corresponding to the non-machine-type communication category or selecting a second modulation scheme setting for a radio link to the device based on the device category corresponding to a machine-type communication category, the first modulation scheme setting and the second modulation scheme setting each being selected from a set of modulation scheme settings, each identified by at least one corresponding index, wherein a table mapping values of a MCS index to values of a modulation order is used to identify the modulation order and transport block size to be applied on the radio link, and selection of the MCS index depends on a channel quality of a channel between the device and the node; on the basis of said selecting, adapting a mapping of each of the indices to a corresponding set of link parameters, the node identifying a first set of link parameters mapped to the index corresponding to the selected first modulation scheme setting or identifying a second set of link parameters mapped to the index corresponding to the selected second modulation scheme setting; and on the basis of said selecting, configuring the radio link according to the identified second set of link parameters, wherein the second modulation scheme setting is based on π/2 Binary Phase Shift Keying.